SMEDAN in the business of enabling job opportunities

Director General (DG) of small and medium enterprises development of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Olawale Fasanya, has said the agency would continue their support to alleviate poverty in Nigeria and create jobs.

He made this statement during the flag off of the Women In Self Empowerment Program (WISE-P) on Sunday in Katsina.

Fasanya, through the Director of Enterprises and of promotions Enterprises (MSMEs) subsector played a critical role in Nigeria’s economic transformation.

He noted that a national survey conducted in 2020 showed that 39.6 MSMEs employed about 62.5 million people in the Nigeria which represented 80.2 per cent of the national labour force.

He added that in order to ensure access to finance, they are partnering with a Non- Governmental Organization, African Centre for Global Entrepreneurial Leadership (ACGEL), in order to implement the Leadership Entrepreneurial Game Show (LEGS).

“The Agency is also partnering with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Jaiz Bank and Sterling Bank to access Matching Fund for Micro and Small Enterprises,” he said.

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Fasanya also noted that SMEDAN had implemented a Specialized Skills programme for Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs), retirees and prison inmates, in six states across the federation, Ondo, Imo, Katsina, Borno, Rivers and Niger State namely.

Over 230 persons have been supported with vocational skills, enabling them to be entrepreneurs.